Antifreeze device



May 21, 1940. s. VORECH ANTIFREEZE DEVICE Filed July 17, 1937 Patented May 21, 1940 UNITED STATES OFFHCE AN TIFREEZE DEVICE Delaware Application July 17, 1937, Serial No. 154,299

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to antifreeze devices for fluid pressure systems, and more particularly to means for controlling the action of such devices in introducing antifreeze mediums 5 into fluid pressure systems.

It has previously been proposed to introduce alcohol or other suitable antifreeze medium into fluid pressure systems, and more particularly into the inlet passage of a compressor, for the purpose of preventing the freezing of the water usually present therein, but it has been difiicult in the past to properly adjust devices used for this purpose to obtain the desired rate of feed of the antifreeze medium into the fluid pressure system, this being especially true in connection with devices of the type adapted to feed an antifreeze medium such as alcohol into a fluid pressure system by means of the well known capillary attraction of a wick.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide simple and novel means for controlling the action of an antifreeze device in connection with a fluid pressure system.

Another object is to provide mechanism for compressing the wick of an antifreeze device to control the capacity thereof as a carrier for an antifreeze medium.

A further object is to provide means for adjustably compressing the wick of an antifreeze device for the purpose of varying the action thereof in accordance with varying local conditions.

Another object is to provide means for compressing the wick of an antifreeze device so constituted that the force acting to compress the wick will be substantially constant regardless of any permanent set taken by the wick.

These and other objects of the invention will be more readily apparent when considered in connection with the accompanying description and drawing. It is to be specifically understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration only, and is not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference for that purpose being had to the appended claims.

In the drawing, wherein similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a View, partly in section, of an antifreeze device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and associated with a compressor of conventional design illustrated diagrammatically;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the liquid receptacle illustrated in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a detail side view of a portion of the structure of Fig. 1.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the antifreeze device is constituted by a receptacle 5 for the antifreeze liquid and a fitting 6 adapted to be bolted between an air inlet cleaner 1 and the cylinder id of a compressor and having a passage 3' registering with the inlet passages of the air cleaner and the compressor as indicated. The receptacle 5 and fitting ii are connected by a conduit 9 attached at one end to the fitting 6 as by means of a compression coupling Ill in threaded engagement with a hollow boss H formed thereon, and at the other end to the bottom of the receptacle 5 through a normally open shut-off valve it. An inclined bore l3 having a diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the conduit 9 is formed in the fitting 6 in alignment with the bore of the conduit and communicating at its upper end with the passage 8. A wick it of suitable material and preferably in the form of a tube is inserted in the bore l3, extending at its upper end into the fluid passage M and at its lower end into a portion of the left end of conduit 9 as shown, a metal rod l5 having a length corresponding to that of the wick being inserted therein for the purpose of maintaining the tubular shape of the wick. The fitting 8 is further provided with a bore l6 formed therein intersecting the bore l3, preferably at right angles thereto, and adapted at its inner end to slidably receive and guide a wick compressing element H, and at its outer end to threadedly receive an adjusting member 18, a coiled spring l9 being interposed between the element and member and compressible by the latter to exert a force on the wick through the element ii. A look nut 2i] on member l8 serves to maintain it in a desired position of adjustment.

The installation of the antifreeze device is relatively simple, the receptacle 5 being mounted at a convenient point adjacent the fluid compressor by means of brackets 2i, and situated below the fitting ii in order that the level of the liquid will always be below the level of the passage 8 and. above the lower end of the wick M. A removable filler cap 22 is provided in the top of the receptacle, and it will be noted that with the receptacle mounted in the above manner liquid will be conveyed therefrom by gravity through the conduit 9 to saturate the lower end of the Wick, but will be carried into the fluid passage 8 only by the capillary attraction of the wick. For convenience in mounting the device or replacing the wick, it may be desirable to divide the conduit 9 into two parts, in which case the parts may be joined together by a compression coupling 23 of conventional design, thus making it possible to remove the fitting 6 and the upper part of conduit 9 for repairs or cleaning without in any Way disturbing the mounting of the receptacle.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated and described, it will be readily understood that a portion of the Wick is at all times in contact with the liquid in the conduit, resulting in saturation of the upper portion of the wick by the capillary attraction thereof. Fluid moving through the passage 8 acts on the liquid at the upper end of the wick to form a vapor, thus permeating the fluid pressure system with the vapor which combines with the Water in the system to form a mixture which will not freeze. The full capacity of the wick is not needed, however, except at extremely low temperatures, and, since it has been determined that compression of the wick will lower its capacity for conveying liquid by capillary attraction, the adjustable member l8 may be moved inwardly for operation under ordinary freezing weather conditions to compress the wick between the wall of the bore l3 and the element I! through the medium of the spring Hi, this resulting in a marked saving in the amount of antifreeze liquid consumed as well as a decrease in the cost of servicing required to maintain an adequate supply of liquid in the receptacle.

It is to be noted that wicks of the type described are in general formed of relatively nonelastic material, and therefore tend to take a permanent set when subject to pressure, and since it is important that the capacity of the wick for conveying liquid remains substantially constant when the member I8 is adjusted at a predetermined setting, this desirable end is attained in the present invention by means of the flexible spring l9 interposed between member l8 and the wick comprising element H, the spring acting to maintain the force acting on the wick through the element I'I substantially constant for a given setting of the member l8, regardless of any slight set taken by the wick.

While the invention has been described herein with considerable particularity, it will be understood that the same is not limited to the form shown but may take other forms as will now be understood by those skilled in the art. Reference will therefore be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for introducing an antifreeze liquid into a fluid pressure system, a passage for fluid in said system, a receptacle for the liquid, a hollow tubular Wick having one end in contact with the liquid and having its other end extending into said passage for conveying said liquid thereto by capillary attraction, a guide for said wick, a rod within the wick and extending throughout the length thereof and adjustable means including a spring pressed element cooperating with said guide for compressing said wick against said rod and controlling the degree of capillary attraction thereof.

2. An antifreeze device comprising a casing, a tubular wick mounted in said casing and having an end exposed to a current of fluid, a supporting rod disposed interiorly of said wick for supporting the same and for maintaining the tubular shape thereof, means for supplying the other end of the wick with an antifreeze mixture whereby the latter is conveyed to the first end of the wick by capillary attraction, and means for variably compressing said wick against the supporting rod for varying the mixture conveying capacity of the wick comprising a member in contact with one side of the wick and adjustable spring means for varying the pressure of said member against said side of the wick.

3. In a device for introducing an antifreeze liquid into a fluid pressure system, a passage for fluid in said system, a receptacle for the liquid, a hollow tubular wick having one end in contact with the liquid and having its other end extending into said passage for conveying said liquid thereto by capillary attraction, a guide for said Wick, said guide being formed with a laterally extending opening provided with an outer threaded portion, a rod disposed interiorly of said wick, a wick compressing element within said opening and adapted to contact the side of said wick, a spring in said opening bearing against said element, and a member adjustably threadedly received in said threaded portion of the opening for varying the tension of said spring and thereby varying the pressure of said element on the side of the wick.

STEPHEN VORECH. 

